American Hefeweizens

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by litheum94, Jan 2, 2013.

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  1. UCLABrewN84

    UCLABrewN84 Initiate (0) Mar 18, 2010 California

    Another vote for Dry Dock.
     
  2. EdH

    EdH Crusader (449) Jul 27, 2005 Utah

    Of course... but a lot of American Wheats are named "Hefeweizen", which is confusing--especially for those who haven't spent a lot of time going over style guidelines (i.e. most people).
     
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  3. steveh

    steveh Grand Pooh-Bah (4,030) Oct 8, 2003 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Society

    You're very correct, and you can blame Widmer for starting the trend.
     
  4. MusicaleMike

    MusicaleMike Savant (1,220) Mar 17, 2008 Pennsylvania

    Back when Widmer started, there was nothing else they could have called it. It was literally a "wheat beer with yeast" which is exactly what "hefeweizen" means. They used a standard ale yeast to brew the beer instead of a South German hefeweizen yeast and so they got a much cleaner yeast profile. I doubt they are interested in changing the name to reflect the new standard style name "Light American Wheat Ale with Yeast."
     
  5. jesskidden

    jesskidden Grand Pooh-Bah (3,071) Aug 10, 2005 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Both Anchor and Schell's had brewed US wheat beers before Widmer (in fact, as noted by Jace Marti of Schell's, they were brewed on the same day in 1984 so they are "tied" for the first modern US wheat beer).

    Anchor called theirs Anchor Wheat Beer (now called "Anchor Summer Beer") and Schell's Hefeweizen was originally labeled Schell's Weiss Beer with the notation on the label that "Sediment is natural to weiss beer".
     
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  6. steveh

    steveh Grand Pooh-Bah (4,030) Oct 8, 2003 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Society

    But Hefeweizen was already established as the sort of beer you'd expect from Bavaria, with all those phenols and big flavor -- not the lame, bland stuff Widmer was trying to pass off.

    As mentioned above, when I first saw the Widmer beer available I was excited because I thought I was getting a real Hefeweizen. You can imagine my disappointment.
     
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  7. MusicaleMike

    MusicaleMike Savant (1,220) Mar 17, 2008 Pennsylvania

    I never had Schell's wheat beer, but that is pretty cool to know that they and Anchor brewed their first wheat on the same day!

    When did Schell's change the name to Hefeweizen? I take back my sentiment that they couldn't have called it something else. Clearly, a marketing/branding decision was made for some reason or another (show off the German hefeweizen inspiration, more interesting than "Wheat Beer", wanted to easily encapsulate the fact that it was an unfiltered wheat beer, etc.)

    Now, they seem to be moving from Hefeweizen as their main brand and focus of growth and seem to be putting more resources behind their "crafty" image.
     
  8. jesskidden

    jesskidden Grand Pooh-Bah (3,071) Aug 10, 2005 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Well, Anchor apparently doesn't think it "cool" :wink: since they're still claiming that "First brewed in the summer of 1984, Anchor Summer ® Beer is the first American wheat beer in modern times" even though they are aware of Schell's brewing date. Can't find Jace Marti's mention of it, I thought it was in his response to the recent Brewers Association "Blacklist" but it may have been just in a BA forum post and I don't recall his BA screen name.

    I have this vague memory that Joe Ortlieb once mentioned considering brewing a wheat beer, but I guess he never got to before throwing in the bar towel and selling out to C. Schmidt's & Sons.

    Not sure, but they definitely consider it the same beer as their original Weiss Beer on their webpage: "Hefeweizen-
    First brewed in 1984..."
     
  9. hopfenunmaltz

    hopfenunmaltz Pooh-Bah (2,611) Jun 8, 2005 Michigan
    Pooh-Bah Society

    The Widmer brothers spent time in Germany, and the house yeast was brought back from Zum Uerige so it is an Alt yeast. Alt was what they thought would be the flagship for them, the wheat beer took off. You can find the Alt at their Gasthaus in Portland, and it may be the best I have had in the US.
     
  10. MusicaleMike

    MusicaleMike Savant (1,220) Mar 17, 2008 Pennsylvania

    Is their house yeast the same today? Do they maintain that same yeast at their other breweries? Good to know about their Alt...I'll have to try it next time I am in Portland. That style is not very well represented here in the US.
     
  11. Chaz

    Chaz Grand Pooh-Bah (3,544) Feb 3, 2002 Minnesota
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    MusicaleMike said:
    When did Schell's change the name to Hefeweizen?​
    I was working retail when the change was made, and want to say that it was 2002. I recall it distinctly because the first year it had a load of yeast in the bottle, all of the local homebrew geeks were oohing and ahhing at the 'floaties'. I used to call 'em 'yeast geeks', as they tried to culture and brew from the stuff... :grinning:
     
  12. hopfenunmaltz

    hopfenunmaltz Pooh-Bah (2,611) Jun 8, 2005 Michigan
    Pooh-Bah Society

    After this much time it has changed, and is not as flocculant. Which is a plus for most wheat beers. I only know the place in Portland.
     
  13. steveh

    steveh Grand Pooh-Bah (4,030) Oct 8, 2003 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Society

    I can't recall if I tried the Widmer Alt when I was in Portland many moons ago, but it was that same Gasthaus where I tried the wheat for the first time.

    Have you had any opportunity to try Metropolitan's Alt as comparison? I know it's not easy to find outside of the Chicago area, but it's real good -- not just a re-labeled Brown Ale as most Alts tend to be, it's got a real smooth character.
     
  14. hopfenunmaltz

    hopfenunmaltz Pooh-Bah (2,611) Jun 8, 2005 Michigan
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Only ha e had one of their beers, but might try some more soon.
     
  15. CASK1

    CASK1 Pundit (951) Jan 7, 2010 Florida

    Kind of like Miller Lite calling itself a "true Pilsner beer"...
     
  16. Mississipping

    Mississipping Pundit (919) Mar 16, 2010 Minnesota

    I came here to say the same thing. Yazoo's Hefe is absolutely fantastic! I'm not a big hefeweizen fan, but the Yazoo is ALWAYS in my fridge. Really reminds me of Dancing Man but is easier to come across ... at least in the south. If you're a fan of this style, it's a must-try in my opinion.
     
  17. budgood1

    budgood1 Initiate (0) Dec 1, 2001 Minnesota

    Schell Hefeweizen.
     
  18. Dougology

    Dougology Initiate (0) Oct 4, 2014 Italy

    It's 2016, any good American Hefeweizens yet? I keep trying and they keep sucking.
     
  19. Scott17Taylor

    Scott17Taylor Initiate (0) Oct 28, 2013 Iowa
    Trader

    New glarus dancing man is really good. Live oak also gets great ratings, never had it can't judge.
     
  20. Groenebeor

    Groenebeor Initiate (0) Feb 14, 2009 California

    The flavor has nothing from the yeast, why do they need to include that? It's just an American Pale Wheat Ale that's unfiltered. It's a pretty crappy one at that.
     
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